Norfolk, Virginia

Norfolk is an independent city in Virginia, located at the core of the Hampton Roads metropolitan area. It was founded in 1682 and incorporated in 1705, and King George II granted it a borough's charter in 1736. It became an important port for exporting goods to the British Isles and abroad, and two-thirds of the city were destroyed during a British naval bombardment and by patriot arson on 1 January 1776 during the American Revolutionary War. The city was gradually rebuilt after the war, and it expanded its borders through annexation in the first half of the 20th century. In 1917, Naval Station Norfolk was established, and it also became the location of several railway and maritime corporate headquarters. In 2017, Norfolk had a population of 244,703 people.